Chapter 37 – Aston
ASTON
Micha: I’m so sorry. It’s a total shit show here, and not only do they need me to stay, but my flight from Khartoum was canceled. Next week for sure.
Iblow out a frustrated breath and set my phone back down on my nightstand.
He’s said next week four times now. Meanwhile, I’ve continued to hold off on telling him about me and Skylar because he was going to come home and I wanted to do it in person.
Yet my wife’s belly is growing. Our daughter is getting bigger, and we’re planning things for her.
And yet her brother, my best friend, still doesn’t fucking know.
We’ve sworn Rina and Brecken to secrecy. I need to be the one to tell him. And if he reacts badly, that falls on me too.
“He canceled again. I’m going to tell him over text.” I kiss a line up Skylar’s neck as she curls sleepily into me.
“Go for it,” she murmurs. “Serves him right for not coming home.”
“He is saving lives.”
“And he knows we’re married and living together. How mad can he get? Or frankly, how shocked?”
“He told me to take care of you. And I told him we weren’t sleeping together.”
She smiles, her eyes still closed as she rolls over and hikes her thigh up and over mine. “I’m fine with you taking care of me. I am very needy.”
I grin against her lips and kiss her. “You are. Does my pregnant wife need to come?”
She laughs. “What is it about you with that?”
“I’m a caveman,” I admit. “You being pregnant and wanting my cock makes me fucking feral.”
She reaches between us and grips my hard-on through my briefs. “So I feel. Is all of that for me?”
I laugh at her coquettish tone. She knows it’s for her. Fucking her has become my favorite hobby. And thankfully for me, she wants it all the time. Her pregnancy has made her insatiable, and I have zero complaints. And when she comes—which she always does now—damn.
A million things have happened this last month.
Our fake wedding pictures made the front page of national news and were buzzing everywhere, especially in the hospital.
I got immediately reinstated as Skylar said, and Josh lost his position as a resident at Boston Children’s Hospital.
He was furious and came after Skylar in the ICU that day, only to subsequently be dragged out by security.
That, along with the picture of the marks on her neck, was used when Skylar filed a restraining order against him.
She also had her attorney send him a notice informing him that if he left Skylar alone for good, she wouldn’t file assault charges against him.
He didn’t know at the time—and neither did Skylar—but the alley he brought her into had cameras set up.
The entire incident was on video, and she has a photograph of her neck following it.
It wouldn’t have just ruined his career. It could have sent him to jail.
Skylar is a Fritz after all.
He agreed, and we haven’t seen him since.
Skylar also asked him to relinquish his paternal rights to the baby and had her attorney send the paperwork for it.
His other option was extensive therapy and only visitation when she allowed it and with supervision.
She told him she’d use all her money and family power to keep her child safe and that the choice was his on how he wants to proceed.
So far, we haven’t heard back from him on this, but Forest’s guy assures us he’s left Boston and moved to Atlanta. We’ll take it. For now. But once the baby is born, I plan to adopt her as mine, and we’ll take whatever steps we need to in order to keep both the baby and Skylar safe.
Michaela was suspended without pay for a week and put on a performance plan as well as probation. She didn’t end up staying and has subsequently left the hospital. Skylar doesn’t keep in touch with her, and I’m not sad about that.
Despite those things, this last month has been a dream come true.
Zoey is happy and thriving. We told her about the baby and how we are going to be a family with it.
It brought her to another level, and now she wants to be part of everything we do with the pregnancy and planning for the baby.
Work has settled down for both of us, and Skylar’s pregnancy is looking great.
Bonus, she’s not having any more morning sickness.
My hand slides up her thigh until I’m gripping her ass and using it to rub her over my aching cock as my mouth comes down on hers.
She tastes like mint from her toothpaste and a sweetness that’s all Skylar.
It makes my head spin and my heart gallop in my chest. Always.
No matter how many times I kiss her or touch her, it’s like the first time. A kinetic pull only she has on me.
My hand glides into her hair, and I roll partially onto her, mindful of her belly, so I can deepen the kiss. I hike her thigh up higher and grind down into her, making her whimper and rub against me. It sends sparks shooting up my spine and draws my balls up with the need to come.
Her shirt, followed by mine, is pulled off, and I trail my lips down her neck, licking and sucking and tasting her skin.
Her fingers rake through the strands of my hair, guiding my head where she wants it.
My tongue swirls around one stiff nipple, and just as I suck it into my mouth, we hear a sound coming from downstairs, followed by the house alarm going off.
I shoot up off Skylar, immediately covering her with the blanket as I practically fall out of bed. Adrenaline takes over, charging my muscles and making my heart race.
“What the hell?” she cries, fear contorting her features. Especially as we hear more noise downstairs. “Oh my god! Someone’s in the house.”
“Get dressed and go into Zoey’s room. Lock the door behind you. I’m going down—”
“No, you’re not!” she yells, sitting up and scrambling for her shirt while I hastily shove mine on. “You’re going to call the police and lock yourself in with me and Zoey.”
“Skylar, for once, just listen—” My voice cuts off as the alarm does. I blink at her as she blinks at me. “How did they turn it off?”
“I’m sorry!” a voice calls from downstairs. “It’s just me!”
“Micha?!” Skylar shrieks before she scrambles from bed and races for the door, not even caring—or possibly forgetting—that she’s only in booty shorts and a T-shirt.
The door flings open, and Skylar flies down the stairs.
I head into the hall just as Zoey opens her door with a hazy and confused yawn and a rub of her eyes.
“It’s okay, sweetie. It’s just Uncle Micha. You can go back to bed.”
“Uncle Micha is home?” Now Zoey is completely awake, and she too is heading down the stairs like her ass is on fire. Awesome. Evidently, this is happening now, and it’s also happening in front of my kid.
“Uncle Micha!”
“My favorite goddaughter! Look how beautiful you are. And big.” I hear him kiss her. “But speaking of big.” I turn and start down the stairs when I hear Micha exclaim, “Skylar, your belly is huge!”
Skylar laughs. “It’s not that big. I’m only fifteen weeks.”
“But… you have a baby growing in here. I can’t believe it. I’m touching your belly, and there’s a baby in there. I’m going to be an uncle.”
“Yes! I’m going to have a baby sister,” Zoey tells him.
That’s when I hear a sharp, “What?! You’re going to have a baby sister?”
I close my eyes, blow out a breath, and continue to the bottom of the steps, where my best friend is looking at me with fury dancing in his bright blue eyes even as his hand is still on Skylar’s belly.
“Her baby sister?” he questions. “Something you haven’t told me, friend?”
He’s kind of a mess. His light brown hair is shaved close to his head, and he looks like he hasn’t showered or shaved or slept even in days. His clothes are just as crusty-looking as the rest of him.
“The baby isn’t his,” Skylar says dismissively, and wow, that stings.
I know how she’s saying it and what she means by that, but still.
She must realize this because she looks at me, and an apology instantly flickers in her eyes.
She crosses the room right in front of her brother and touches my cheek. “I’m sorry. That’s not how I meant it.”
“I know.”
“I didn’t mean to imply it’s not yours. I know it is. I was just explaining… ugh. You know.”
I grin down at her. “I know. It’s okay.”
“You sure?”
I nod and bend to kiss her, and that’s when Micha kind of loses it.
“Are you kidding me right now? When were you going to tell me that you’re fu—er”—he glances down at Zoey—“messing around with my sister?”
Instead of addressing Micha in front of my daughter, I bend to face Zoey. “Hey, Zo-Zo, you’ve got school in the morning.”
“But I’m not tired,” she whines in protest.
“I know, but you’ll get to see Uncle Micha in the morning. Give him another hug and then scoot back up to bed.”
“Fine,” she grumbles. “Night, Uncle Micha.”
“Night, Zoey-Zo. I’ll make sure I’m up in the morning to see you before school, and then after school we can hang out.”
“Okay,” she chirps, gives him a hug, and runs back upstairs. I’m shocked that it was so easy as it was. I was expecting a fight and tears, but right now I’ll take it.
“Why don’t we go into the kitchen?” I suggest. “You look like you’ve been flying since Jesus was an infant and could likely use a drink.”
“Since Jesus was an infant?” he deadpans.
“It was my polite way of saying you look like shit.”
He smirks and shakes his head but actually walks into the kitchen without an argument, and now I’m two for two.
Hopefully this keeps going. Skylar squeezes my hand, and we walk into the kitchen, but I end up grabbing one of my oversized hoodies from the sofa and handing it to Skylar for her to put on, which she does with a grateful smile.
Micha heads straight for his liquor cabinet while Skylar climbs up onto one of the stools. She’s smiling, not the least bit concerned with any of this. Micha pours two small glasses of whiskey and slides one across the stone counter to me.
“No poison?”
“Not yet,” he tells me, and I laugh.
“Welcome home.” I raise my glass to his, and we clink them before we both drink our large shots down. The whiskey is hot and harsh as it slides down my throat, and I use that to drive me forward. “Why did you tell me you weren’t going to make it?”
He shrugs. “Surprise.”
Skylar rolls her eyes. “Then you get what you deserve. It’s after ten.”
“Explain to me what’s going on,” he demands, leaning against the counter as he pours himself another. “Because this isn’t what you told me. Neither of you.”
“I love her,” I tell him simply.
He stares at me for an eternity after that. “You love her?”
“And she loves me.”
“I do,” Skylar confirms. “It’s true. He’s hot and good in bed.”
“Skylar, are you trying to fucking kill me right now?” Micha growls, scrubbing a hand across his face, and I can’t help my laugh, especially when she throws me a wink.
She shrugs unrepentantly. “You’re my brother. That’s my job. But yes, we’re in love and happy.”
He whistles through his teeth and takes a sip. “And you’re together even though she’s pregnant with Josh’s baby?”
“Yes,” both Skylar and I say together.
“How long has this been going on?”
Skylar glances up at me. “About six or so weeks, right? Something like that.”
“But it started a while back. At least for me.”
Micha’s lips twitch with an amusement I don’t understand. “You mean following whatever happened between the two of you at the Valentine’s Day party?”
“What?” both Skylar and I spew out. “How did you know?” I finish.
Micha drains his second glass and sets the empty down on the counter, where he rolls it between his hands.
“I saw you. I saw both of you, actually.” He points at Skylar.
“I saw you leave the bedroom with Braelyn, the two of you whispering, and I heard you say the word ‘kiss’ to her. Then I saw you”—he points to me—“walking out of the bedroom looking insanely guilty, but there was something else to you. A sadness maybe or an anger and an awakening all at once. I can’t describe it beyond that.
I just know you, and you looked different, and I put it together pretty quickly.
But neither of you spoke about it again.
Except I know you, and you never really got together or hooked up with anyone after that. Was it because of her?”
I glance down at my hands pressing into the stone.
“Partially, I guess. I wasn’t looking for her, and then I kissed her, and it turned out it was Skylar.
After that, it was always Skylar, no matter how sometimes I wished it weren’t.
” I look up at him. “You knew all this time?” Guilt battles with relief inside me.
Now he’s grinning like a Cheshire cat. “I knew, and I also didn’t forget that Skylar was living here when I offered you and Zoey my place.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Skylar barks out, her voice a dance of incredulous laughter.
“Are you serious?” I ask.
He shrugs. “Yep. I didn’t want Skylar living alone after what Josh had done to her, and I also wanted you to find a life again, man.
It had been years, and you were a fucking mess with everything.
Plus, I knew Sky and Zoey would hit it off.
I thought maybe if you kissed her once, it could lead to something else between the two of you, and lo and behold, I was right.
” I go to speak when he holds up his hand.
“But I wish you had told me from the start, and I wish you had told me after it began.”
And just like that, a fresh wave of guilt hits me. “I get that, and I’m sorry. I wanted to do it in person. I was serious about her, and that wasn’t the kind of thing to mention over text.”
“Wait.” Skylar holds her hand up like a six-year-old in school. “Hold the phone here, Cupid. Are you telling me you orchestrated all of this?”
“Of course I did. I never liked Josh, and Aston’s my best friend.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
He grins at her. “You’re welcome.”
“Oh my god! I could hug you and strangle you. Who does something like that, Micha?”
“Who marries a man only to end up dating him, Skylar?” he throws back at her.
“Fair. That’s fair.” She shakes her head. “So, you’re not mad?”
“No. I’m not mad. I’m annoyed I had to fly home in the middle of the night to find out, but I’m the opposite of mad. Aston is the best guy I know, and he’ll take care of you. And your heart is the biggest one on the planet, and I know you’ll take care of him and Zoey in return.”
“I will,” I promise him.
“Same,” Skylar says.
“Good. Then we can go to bed now because I’ve been up for a very long time. Evidently since Jesus was an infant.” His lips bounce. “In the morning you can fill me in on everything else I missed.”
I walk over to him and give my best friend a hug. Because the bastard set me up, and I’m not the least bit upset about it. If anything, I owe him one. I just hope I get to one day return the favor. Until then we have a lot ahead of us. And I can’t wait for any of it.